The hipsterfication of taxes

By Jonnelle Marte

How do you get young people to care about a boring topic? You hipsterize it.

H&R Block

That’s how tax preparer H&R Block is attempting to get twentysomethings talking about taxes. The “Hipster Tax Crisis,” a spoof campaign launched earlier this month, is ramping up as the April 15 tax deadline approaches. The initiative features a series of video skits starring ESPN host Kenny Mayne, who is tasked with educating fake hipsters about the complications of the tax code. People can go on a website dedicated to the spoof to “hipsterize” photos of themselves by digitally adding mustaches and knitted caps and to vote for who they think should be the “Hipster of the Year.”

They can also flip through hipster tax facts, such as “The IRS e-file system is currently incompatible with all vintage typewriters even if your coffee shop has free Wifi.” And they can read about the key components of a hipster as shown in a cartoon illustration, including the horn rimmed non-prescription glasses, a vintage hat and the crusty, canvas high-top shoes.

The efforts will be wrapped up at an April 1 event in Seattle called the “Irony Games,” where people will find out who was dubbed Hipster of the Year, while drinking free Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and watching a live performance by the Chicago rap group Flavor Savers singing “Hipster Tax Rap,” a song about the troubles hipsters have with doing their taxes. “W-2, 1099s, all of these forms are going to blow my mind,” the rappers sing during a music video for the song.

The campaign is being run by Elasticity, the digital marketing and public relations firm based in St. Louis that organized H&R Block’s last hipster-minded operation, the Mustache March, a walk held in Washington, D.C., that raised $10,000 for Millions from One, a nonprofit that promotes safe drinking water. “Humor has proven to be a great medium to humanize a brand,” says Aaron Perlut, founder and managing partner for Elasticity. “Particularly a brand that specializes in a topic like taxes.”

H&R Block says the play is meant to keep the brand’s name fresh among millennials and engage young people. Many of them likely already filed their taxes, says Jerod Laughlin, vice president of interactive marketing and media for H&R Block, but might think of H&R Block at this time next year. “Let’s be honest, taxes are not one of the most stimulating subjects around,” says Laughlin. “So if you want to engage with young people you’ve got to give them something fun to engage in the conversation with.”

In one video, Mayne tells the group they may not have to file tax returns if their income is below a certain amount. “How many people think they make under that amount?” he asks. Most of the dozen or so hipsters in front of him raised their hands. “So this might be a short meeting,” he responds dryly. “Good start.”

Other burning topics featured in the series include a discussion on whether pets qualify as dependents and how the hipsters plan to spend their refunds. Big plans included shopping for quinoa, kale shakes and bed frames. The videos have been viewed more than 100,000 times.

It’s not clear how much the hipster play will do to lift the company’s brand or if the content will go viral. H&R Block declined to say what share of its customers are young enough that they might fall within the hipster demographic. Such information can be tricky to collect since tax returns filed for families can include taxpayers in several age groups, the company said. But staffers running the campaign did say the company wants to attract younger customers in order to keep the business growing. “You’ve got to keep revitalizing and refreshing your brands” says Laughlin. ”You’ve got to keep getting younger customers.”

But if not for the hipsters or the free beer, some people might get involved for the charity component. H&R Block is donating 50 cents for every person who shares a video, hipsterized photo or hipster tax fact with the hashtag #hipstertax to Covenant House, a charity that supports homeless children.

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About Tax Watch

Only two things in this world can be said to be certain, according to Benjamin Franklin. Tax Watch is about one of them. The blog examines the complicated tax issues and legislative changes to help you tackle tough personal finance challenges – and avoid costly tax missteps. The lead writer is MarketWatch reporter Jonnelle Marte. Contributors include columnists Bill Bischoff, Andrea Coombes, and Eva Rosenberg.